Traveling within Spain

Madrid has been an absolute dream, but it has been nice to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the city. I have been lucky to have the opportunity to sneak away a few times since arriving in January. There are a lot of greats cities within an hour plane ride of Madrid.

My first excursion out of Madrid was a day trip to Toledo, Spain that was organized by USAC. I was excited to find out that the day-trip was included in the cost of the program. We started out the trip with a panoramic tour of Toledo. A tour guide then led us through the town. I really enjoyed learning the history of what I was seeing. There is an immense amount of history in Toledo.

A few friends and I planned our own day trip to Segovia, Spain. I would definitely recommend visiting if in Madrid. Segovia is a 30 minute train ride from Madrid- perfect for a day trip. It only took us about five hours to check out all the sites. Segovia is known for its Roman aqueduct, Cathedral (last Gothic-style cathedral built in Spain) and the Alcazar.

My favorite trip outside of Madrid was to Valencia, Spain. I absolutely fell in love with the charming city. Valencia is on the Mediterranean Sea and only an hour plan ride from Madrid. My friends and I enjoyed exploring the market, snapping pictures of all the orange trees, and trying the local paella.